This application claims a priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 11-289703 filed on Oct. 12, 1999 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-296184 filed on Sep. 28, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
This invention relates to an entertainment apparatus, an information processing unit used therefor, and techniques concerning a portable storage device fixed detachably to the information processing unit, and more particularly to input and output control techniques for the information processing apparatus and the portable storage device.
In an entertainment apparatus comprising an information processing unit and a memory card capable of being attached to and detachable from the information processing unit, the memory card serves as an external storage for the information processing unit. The memory card is provided with a flash ROM, a control circuit, a clock generating circuit and a connecting terminal. When the memory card is connected to the information processing unit, the former communicates with the latter through the connecting terminal. The controlling of the communication and read write operations for the flash ROM are carried out by the control circuit. The data which the information processing unit desires to store in the memory card and the like are stored in the flash ROM by a unit of file.
The read write operations for the flash ROM are carried out by a page of predetermined size. The information processing unit cannot read and write over one page of data in one action out of and in the memory card.
The size of a page are determined usually in accordance with the capacity of the flash ROM as a whole. Therefore, when a read write control program for the information processing unit is developed for a flash ROM of a specific capacity, a flash ROM of some other capacity becomes unable to be utilized by the program, and the extendability becomes low. Namely, when the capacity of the flash ROM of the memory card is changed in the future, it becomes necessary to correct the control program. Even when the capacity of the flash ROM is increased with the control program used without being corrected, there is the possibility that the increased portion of the capacity of the flash ROM cannot be sufficiently utilized.
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and provides an information processing unit the write read operations of which can be controlled even when the storage capacity of a portable storage device is changed, a portable storage device controlled by the information processing unit, and an entertainment apparatus.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the entertainment apparatus comprising a portable storage device, and an information processing unit to which the portable storage device is detachably connected,
the portable storage device being provided with:
a storage member in which a size of a page out of and in which data can be read and written by one processing operation are pre-determined, and
a holding member for holding information capable of identifying the page size,
the information processing unit being provided with:
a control member for controlling the reading and writing of the storage member on the basis of the information held in the holding member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the information processing unit detachably connected to a portable storage device,
the portable storage device being provided with:
a storage member in which a size of a page out of and in which data can be read and written by one processing operation are pre-determined, and
a holding member for holding information capable of identifying the page size,
comprising;
a means for obtaining the information indicating page size to be identified by page size-identifiable information, and
a means for giving instructions to carry out read write operations to the storage member,
wherein;
the instruction-giving means gives instructions to keep the page size of data to be read and written by one processing operation not higher than the page size.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the portable storage device connected detachably to an information processing unit, comprising;
a storage member in which a size of a page out of and in which data can be read and written by one processing operation are pre-determined,
a holding member for holding information capable of identifying the page size, and
an instruction executing member for receiving instructions from the information processing unit and executing the instructions, wherein;
the instruction executing member outputs the page size-identifiable information with reference to the holding member when the instruction executing member receives a page size inquiring instructions, and
executes inputs and outputs information into and from the storage member when the instruction executing member receives input-output instructions for the storage member.